Who wins Golovkin vs Lemieux? That’s the big question circling the boxing fandom right now. If you’re unsure of the victor, let me assure you you’re definitely not alone.
Let’s look at 5 knockout reasons Gennady Golovkin will halt David Lemieux’s fast rise through the Middleweight ranks on Saturday…
1. Lemieux Has Never Faced a Fighter Like Golovkin
All in all, Gennady Golovkin is just too good for Lemieux. The Kazakhstan-born Middleweight monster, known as ‘GGG’, is too technically great, experienced (owing to a 345-5 Amateur record) and powerful for Lemieux to be competitive against, let alone beat. Golovkin is the real deal, and Lemieux is in for a rude awakening in Madison Square Garden, New York.
2. Educated Pressure is Key to Victory
Golovkin and Lemieux are both exceptionally hard-hitters, but this is a fight won on controlled/intelligent aggression, not caution-to-the-wind bomb-slinging. Golovkin is the smarter fighter who excels in timing his shots and cutting off the ring. Golovkin wins not because he hits hard, but because he knows when to hit, and how to apply effective pressure.
3. Lemieux’s Defensive Holes Are Plentiful
Lemieux may be a ferocious puncher, but he’s prone to squaring himself up in front of fighters and getting tagged. Maybe his lapses in defense mattered little against the likes of Gabriel Rosado and Hassan N’Dam, but against ‘GGG’ they will no doubt offer the keys to a sure-fire knockout loss. Lemieux is also a twice-beaten fighter, being knocked out (Marco Antonio Rubio) and outpointed (Joachim Alcine) back in 2011. Lemieux may have adjusted well since, but a defeat is a defeat.
4. Lemieux Will Encounter the ‘Best’ Golovkin
Golovkin has made such easy work of the majority of his opposition that he has often been seen cruising at certain points during fights. Against Martin Murray and Willie Monroe Jr, Golovkin let his soon-to-be-victims unload on him with shots. Arguably because Golovkin knew he could take their punches given their lack of power. But with Lemieux it’s a different kettle of fish; Golovkin won’t be able to eat his shots. We’re about to see an all-business ‘GGG’, a man looking to do nothing but get the job done, and quickly. Is Lemieux ready for that kind of fighter?
5. Golovkin Has Never Let a Top Contender Off the Hook
One of the big differences between Golovkin and Lemieux is their ability to finish off upper-tier opposition. For instance, in Golovkin’s last 5 (actually 20 consecutively) fights, he has never let a hurt opponent off the hook. They’ve all be knocked out inside the distance; but the same can’t be said for Golovkin’s Saturday night opponent. Take the N’dam fight, for example: Lemieux had the guy down in the 2nd, 5th (twice), and 7th rounds, but was unable to stop N’Dam from reaching the final bell. What the result have been the same if Golovkin had been in the ring with N’Dam that night?
Be sure to check out my 5 Knockout Reasons David Lemieux Beats Gennady Golovkin, wherein I play devil’s advocate. Or, for greater insight into the fight, be sure to read Golovkin vs Lemieux: Tale of the Tape, Facts & Stats.
David Lemieux (34-2, 31 KO) and Gennady Golovkin (33-0, 31 KO) will settle the score once and for all on October 17th, with their unification fight airing live on HBO PPV and Boxnation. Chime in with your thoughts on this Middleweight fan-friendly affair, boxing fans…
